Workshops listed below are just a sample of the kinds of presentations available. All are adaptable/flexible and can be adapted to fit varying needs.

I'm always booking ahead, and like to plan 2-4 day residencies if travel involves getting on a plane. One day options (and Sunday pulpit supply) are also possible within a three-hour drive of Nashville.

What We Sing is Who We Are - Congregational Singing/Identity Workshop

Vibrant congregational singing is a sure sign of a healthy, thriving church. Why? Because congregations that sing with vitality are congregations that know who and why they are. Revitalizing congregational singing is one of the best growth strategies available, and it’s easier to do than you might think!

In this workshop we’ll :

explore the rich and varied songs in our Living Tradition, flesh out their historical and theological context

consider ways to add “spice and flavor” to the congregational music experience through instrumentation and rhythmic variation

engage in questions of diversity, authenticity, and mission

find new courage and fresh vision to make the tried and true come alive in unexpected ways

After exploring this treasure trove of hymnody at our fingertips, we’ll open the doors for a robust Community Sing where we can put our new tools to work.

Worship Workshop: Toward a More Profound Alleluia – What is worship? Why do we do it? How can we do it with more intentionality and skill? In this 2 to 3 hour workshop we cover basic worship/liturgical theory, connecting worship to mission, shaping ritual and the liturgical year, and the role of music in worship. Highly interactive session intended for clergy and lay leaders, as well as worship committees or liturgical teams.

General Choir Workshops – Totally adaptable format in terms of length and topics, depending on your choir’s needs. I’m available for anything from a single rehearsal to a weekend retreat. We can sing my music or anything else you’d like to work on. Most of the time I’m asked to help choirs work on adapting to different musical styles, rhythms and cultural contexts. I can work with your church choir alone, or choirs from local church clusters or even district/regional gatherings.

Collaborative Worship Ministry: Growing the Minister/Musician Relationship – We often speak of the need for greater collaboration between ministers and musicians, but how might such a relationship actually work? In this workshop we’ll explore the roles of the parish minister and musician, looking honestly at areas of potential conflict between the two as well as celebrating the rich, rewarding partnership that is possible when they engage in a truly shared ministry. Topics covered include: ego and worship leadership; full integration of music into the worship planning process; theological development for church musicians (and the minister’s role in making it happen); and music, worship and anti-racist, multicultural identity. UUMA Chapters are encouraged to invite musicians to attend and participate.

The Civil Rights Era: A Movement with a Soundtrack – This workshop was designed to kickoff the UU Civil Rights Legacy tours of the American South by grounding participants in the songs and sounds of the movement. Through recordings and group singing, participants will engage in deepening their understanding of the cultural, theological and social elements which combined in music that has changed– and continues to change – the world.